


Forever More

by DirtyTrenches



Series: Forever With You Makes It Worth It [2]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eret Redemption, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Happy Ending, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Love, Recovery, Tommyinnit needs a hug, Villain Wilbur Soot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26997559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DirtyTrenches/pseuds/DirtyTrenches
Summary: Despite Wilbur's betrayal, Tommy won't give up on him. He'll keep fighting to save him, no matter how long it takes.After all, he promised himself he would do anything to make him smile again.
Relationships: Eret & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Floris | Fundy & TommyInnit, Niki | Nihachu & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Series: Forever With You Makes It Worth It [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970413
Comments: 80
Kudos: 744





	Forever More

**Author's Note:**

> Holy shit.  
> I know, this is.... Long. I genuinely didn't expect it to get this girthy, I was thinking 10k at MOST LOL, not almost 20k.  
> This is definitely less angsty then its much smaller prequel, but it has it's moments.  
> AND YES, THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING. I was genuinely torn about it for a bit, but I felt like I've made Tommy suffer enough.  
> YOU DO NEED TO READ THE PREQUEL TO UNDERSTAND THIS. But, its barely 4k words long, so it shouldn't be an issue!

_Tommy shoots up in bed, tears washing down his face in huge dollops, snot running down his nose. He feels his heart stutter in his chest, and his breathing simultaneously faltering and picking up in pace. The tears drip onto his hands clenching his blanket in a death grip, the only thing grounding him to the present._

_He pushes himself back against his pillows, feet scooching even when his back painfully thuds against its target, his mind running a thousand miles per minute._

_He tries to calm himself, hands running through his hair in jumpy pulls, getting caught in tangles that he forces them through._

_Staying like that for several long moments, his body begins to untense._

_Before the memories of the dream strikes him all at once._

_Wilbur in the Pogtopia cave huddled close to the wall, questioning his morality as Tommy sat in front of him, hands hovering in the air uncertain of what to do._

_Wilbur smiling at him when he comforts him by telling him they’re on the right side, that they’re good, but noticing how hollow it is compared to the warm grins he used to shower him with, how dead and lifeless and **hopeless** it was in comparison._

_Wilbur getting TNT from Dream, Wilbur promising to blow up Manburg, Wilbur keeping said promise, Wilbur throwing TNT at him, guilty eyes staring back at him as he shouts at him, **What did he shout? What did he say? Why is he looking at him like that? Will things ever be the same?,** Wilbur—_

_Tommy shakes his head harshly, using the action to push the thoughts away, giving him time to focus on grounding himself to the present once again._

_He pushes his hands through his hair again, the action soothingly familiar, as he tries to settle his mind._

_In that moment, all he wants to see is Wilbur, all he wants is for him to tell him a stupid joke so he can laugh, so he can see Wilburs dopey grin at having succeeded in making him feel better. He wants to look into Wil’s eyes and see he’s okay, see that every piece of him is still put together._

_He wants to know that everything is okay, and he’s just overreacting from a bad dream._

_Coming to a decision, he pushes himself out of the bed, having every intention to go to the older man’s room and bother him, no matter how guilty it’ll make him feel, for his own peace of mind._

_Then, a rhythmic knock sounds at the door, a familiar and calming one, and he shoots out of bed in an instance, throwing the door open without a moment’s hesitation, heart flooding with sweet relief at the surprised look on Wilbur’s face._

_“T-Tommy? I didn’t think you’d be awa—” His mentor cuts himself off, eyebrows drawing down when his eyes truly adjust to the dark and he finally notices the tear tracks on his face, dry and sticky from minutes before._

_Tommy feels hands on his face, thumbs gently swiping the remaining tears away, and feels his heart clench at the comforting gesture._

_“What’s wrong?” Wilbur murmurs after a moment, hands still on his cheeks, thumbs moving in small circles. It makes Tommy want to cry again, knowing how much this man truly cares about him, how he always fights to keep him happy._

_With those thoughts in mind, the younger man pauses, unsure of how to explain, before uttering out one single sentence, “Wilbur, you trust me, right?”_

_Movements on his face stop, and he watches as Wilbur’s eyes widen in confused surprise at the question, before the actions slowly continue, his face smoothing over into reassurance._

_“Of course, I do, Tommy. You’re my right-hand man! Always by my side! There’s nobody I trust more.” Wil says softly, fondness filling the air around him. Tommy feels himself close his eyes, comforted by the words, yet still unsure if he can truly believe them. But, he wants to, so desperately, that his heart clutches onto the words selfishly._

_“So, if something were wrong, you would tell me, right?” He asks in a tone so quiet he’s surprised Wil even hears it, voice shaky from the pure emotion he both wants to smother with all his might, and convey completely truthfully._

_He can’t see his mentor’s reaction through his closed eyelids, but he feels the way he seems to crumble in on himself a bit, muscles both relaxing and tensing in a way he’s never seen experienced before._

_“Tommy, what’s this about?” He seems to hesitate, hands moving up to stroke his hair smoothly, trying to comfort both of them with the gesture. “Did… Did you have a bad dream?”_

_Tommy deflates, and lets himself lean his head against Wilbur’s chest, tears pricking his eyes once more, so painful that it almost burns him to his very core. He was hoping he didn’t ask, but he should’ve known it would happen._

_Immediately, Wilbur wraps one arm around him and pulls him closer, the other still toying with his hair in loving strokes. Tommy sinks into him gratefully, tears stinging his eyes even fiercer now._

_“You did, huh?” He sounds sad, and Tommy finally opens his eyes, moving his head just enough to see the expression on his face. Wilbur meets his gaze, and he sees the regret on his face, and it clicks for him all at once._

_**Wilbur thinks he’s having nightmares about the war.** _

_He smiles at him, and it only serves to make Wilbur look even more confused than he was before, and it fills him with a strange sort of giddiness that he doesn’t feel often at all._

_Its stupid, he knows, to be so happy about something like that, but after the terrible dream he had, seeing Wilbur’s kind eyes, the way he gently holds him and tries to give him every good feeling he possibly can, it makes him feel like everything will be okay, and that he truly does care._

_“Wilbur,” He says, snuggling closer to the man, arms wrapped around his waist tightly. “Thank you.”_

_Wilbur shifts, and finally completely hugs him back. His voice still sounds confused when he answers, but also a tad fond when he asks, “For what?”_

_“For everything.”_

_Wilbur laughs softly, and pulls him even closer, presence a calming and grounding thing._

_Tommy lets his eyes slip shut, and happily basks in his presence, knowing it was all just a dream._

_He didn’t notice he never answered his question._

Almost like a reenactment of Groundhog Day, Tommy shoots out of his sleeping bag with tears streaking down his face, slapping his hand over his mouth to muffle the pained noise that almost escaped him.

The cold air swiftly scales over him, the dark woods around him encapsulating him in a deeper emptiness, his mind unwillingly coming to the realization that the comforting scene he just had was the real dream, and the terror that tried to eat him alive was the reality he’s still living with even now.

He sits still in his sleeping bag, eyes scanning over the silence of the woods, and his heart clenches so painfully it physically hurts him, and his free hand clutches at his chest so tightly, in a futile hope that it’ll somehow fix and change things; that it’ll make things better.

The only comfort he has is the sight of his friends all sleeping soundly, peacefully unaware of his inner turmoil, though he would prefer it that way. He doesn’t want to be alone, but he also doesn’t want to burden the only people who want him anymore.

He hears something shifting near him, and his eyes quickly dart in that direction. A relief he’s quickly becoming familiar with floods him in a tidal wave when the darkness is filled with a white glow as Eret opens his eyes, gaze landing on him.

Niki sleeps beside him, seemingly unaffected by the eerie yet warm glow from the brunet’s eyes, her own closed in a calm manner.

He moves his gaze back upwards to Erets line of sight, noticing the bags underneath the shaded mans eyes, and holds his gaze with a pang of guilt.

Sometimes he forgets they all suffer, just in different ways.

They stare at each other for a long moment, before Eret’s gaze trails down to the tears staining his face, a sight that’s quickly becoming the new normal for all of them.

Sadness etches itself across Erets face, and Tommy feels the guilt crawl further for burdening the man with his problems once again, for worrying everyone around him constantly because he can’t pull himself together like he used to be able to easily.

He watches as Eret peels back his sleeping bag as silently as possible, slinking out of it gracefully and walking silently over to the younger boy, before crouching in front of him.

Tommy looks up to him, eyes dark with horrible, gnawing guilt. The apologies are on the tip of his tongue, his mouth opening to spill all the words like a waterfall that comes crashing down no matter how much you try to block the stream.

But Eret quietly shakes his head, not having to say a single word. His eyes are harder to read, the whiteness completely over taking it, but Tommy doesn’t have to read his eyes to know what he’s signaling to him.

_‘I know what you’re feeling, I know you think you’re a burden. You’re not. You’re okay.’_

The younger boy feels himself start to shake, emotion completely encompassing him once more, before Eret slowly and with care wraps his arm around his middle and head, hugging him with a gentleness he hasn’t felt in so long it makes his heart cry out the saddest symphony it can muster.

Clutching him back with everything he has, Tommy allows himself the peace of mind to relax, knowing he can trust this person. Once, he never would’ve believed that, that Eret could be a grounding presence, but he also once thought that Wilbur would always look at him with fondness in his eyes.

Not everything is as it seems; not _everyone_ is as they seem. He’s quickly coming to realize that shattering fact.

Eret starts to rub comforting circles on his back, something familiar he always does when Tommy breaks down like this, and as always it causes Tommy’s eyes to shut, the affection of it all making him droopy.

Hugging one another tightly, they stay like that so long Tommy starts to feel sleepy again, before he feels another familiar presence join them on the ground. They pull back, coming face to face with Fundy, thankfully easy to see because of the light from Eret’s eyes.

Tommy is surprised to see him for a long moment, noticing how awake the half fox looks, before it strikes through his mind that Fundy’s sleeping bag was empty earlier when he had scanned his surroundings in pity.

Fundy has told them before he takes walks at night to check to make sure they’re still safe, that no one is following them or spying on them. That he gets paranoid that something will happen constantly, and does it for both his own state of mind and for them as well.

The younger boy had believed him, of course, knowing that he would do something similar if his own paranoia urged him to do so. But, he had never actually seen him do it in action, so seeing him now was a bit of a shock, however unnecessary that shock may be.

Fundy is seated on the ground in the middle of them both, staring at them with ears drawn back and pain in his eyes, the emotion glinting in the light of Eret’s eyes.

Tommy feel’s the familiar prick of tears he usually feels when Fundy looks at him like that, the guilt that pricks through his heart because of past actions always threatening to bury him alive whenever he meets his gaze.

Fundy frowns, likely picking up his guilt, and flicks his nose gently, making him flinch slightly in surprise, tears drying up immediately from the distraction.

The older man leans closer to them both, lowering his tone as to not wake up their snoozing friends. “It’s okay.” He comforts, words gentle and soothing. He gives him a big smile, toothy and true, and Tommy feels himself melt at the sight of it, desperately believing the words in hopes it’ll fix the pain he wonders will ever go away.

Smiling uncertainly, his gaze slides over to meet Eret’s eyes. The shade wearing man smiles at him when their eyes meet, and nods at him in agreement with Fundy’s words.

There’s a moment of silence, the first calm one he’s experienced in so long a part of him is afraid it’s going to shatter into something terrible and bloody.

And, it does shatter, but not in a bad way.

“Tommy,” Eret finally speaks up, deep voice a soft rumble, gravely from the way he whispers. “Did you have a bad dream?”

It was almost like déjà vu, the way he asks that with kind worry in his eyes. But, this time, he knows this is real, this isn’t a dream, and that he’s safe for now. It was so nice to have Wilbur hold him again, to have him squeeze him with the same love he used to. But, knowing it wasn’t real, knowing that it may never happen again, makes it hurt so deeply he can’t even begin to describe it.

Eret and Fundy are here, right now, though. They are tangible, something he can touch, people he will see again tomorrow and will still look at him with the same fondness, and it startles him how much that keeps him sane.

“I did,” He admits, voice hoarse and uncertain, still unused to showing so much emotion, still wondering how it all changed, how he went from the snarky kid that was so boisterous to this almost silent shell that he’s now become. “I… I dreamed he was okay. That everything that did _actually_ happen was all a bad dream.”

Fundy and Eret share a sad look. Once, it would’ve angered him. He never wanted to be pitied, especially by people who weren’t Tubbo or Wilbur. But, now, he knows that they just understand, and they hurt knowing he hurts.

In the most messed up way, Wilbur’s mental decline; his betrayal, has made him mentally mature more than he did when he was sane, and the raw guilt he feels from that truth hurts him more than any lie ever could.

“A-And he hugged me,” He chokes out, tears burning his eyes _again,_ but he fights to keep them back. He’s sick of crying, he’s sick of being so _weak._ “I wish he would hug me again,” He admits so silently, like he’s almost ashamed of it, but it’s only silent because he’s afraid that admitting it will make it so reality gives him the opposite. “Will he ever hug me again?”

He looks up, tears still gathered in his eyes but thankfully not falling, to see Fundy’s broken expression, eyes wide and ears so far back it looks like they’re barely there.

Eret isn’t faring much better, and it almost looks like the admission made the glow of his eyes dim, like they react to his emotions. Fundy reacts physically first, however, and moves forward, tears pricking in his own eyes, and swoops him into a hug full of so much pain it makes him wilt like a dying plant.

Over Fundy’s shoulder after he grasps him back just as tightly, he sees Eret’s eyebrows furrow in a pain so absolutely raw that he’s never seen before, that it strikes a painful arrow through his lungs, so painful his breath falters for several moments.

He wave’s the shaded man over, opening his one arm as a signal to join, and it seems like Fundy also gets the memo, as he moves so they can all collapse together.

Eret doesn’t hesitate, and falls into them, eyes grim and glow so dim it worries him deeply.

He opens his mouth to ask, to comfort, but Eret cuts him off, voice so soft and gentle it reminds Tommy of a glass swan, that could shatter at even the gentlest of touches. “I’m sorry you two,” At their confused looks, he continues, arms tightening around them both. “I left you all, I betrayed you. And I left you all to hurt all alone, _I_ was Wilbur’s first betrayal, I’m what planted the seed.” His eyes are filled with so much agony as he says this, and it takes Tommy’s breath away in the worst way imaginable. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry, it’s all my fault he’s hurting. It’s my fault I wasn’t there before to help you guys when _you_ were.”

There’s a moment of stunned silence as both Fundy and Tommy stare at him in shock, but the silence quickly turns horrified when tears start streaking down Eret’s cheeks, and he pulls out the grasp to desperately wipe them away.

“Eret,” Fundy begins, hand on his cheek, wiping away a tear. Eret looks stunned, and it dawns on Tommy that Eret is a lot like him, in the way that he too regrets everything he did to Fundy, and wonders how he can be so kind to him despite it. “We don’t blame you. We forgive you. Even if you technically were the first betrayal he experienced,” Eret shrinks in on himself, and Fundy grimaces sympathetically, before continuing. “Wilbur has a hurt so deep he would’ve broken no matter who hurt him, you just happened to be along for the ride. But, Eret; you’re trying to fix thing’s, you’re helping us save him. It’s okay. Please, don’t blame yourself anymore. Forgive yourself, for us.”

Eret whimpers, and cries even more, burying his face in Fundy’s shoulder as Fundy pats his back, pain in his eyes seeing his friends break and shatter tonight from all the trauma they’ve unleashed inside.

Tommy watches all this, heart breaking for them both, and slinks closer, hugging them both tightly, frowning hard when Eret hugs him back shakily and Fundy does so sadly. They stay like that long after Eret’s tears have dried, and the heaviness that fogged over them all has cleared.

“It’s going to be okay,” Eret suddenly murmurs, breaking through the silence, confidence clear in his voice, something they both hadn’t heard from him in so long. “We’ll get him back, together.”

Fundy hums in agreement, before adding on, “Wilbur won’t be alone anymore; _we_ won’t be alone anymore.”

In the weirdest way, this calmed him considerably. Usually, this would just make him tear up, question if that was really the truth. But he felt the safety and truth in the words, and he was so exhausted he could only nod slightly in agreement, letting his eyes fall shut and letting the warmth of the two people holding him lull him into a dreamless sleep.

Tommy wakes up groggily when he feels himself being shaken gently yet forcefully enough for it to actually awake him, the warmth from the night before still with him as he opens his eyes and realizes that he’s still curled up in Eret and Fundy’s arms, both men waking up just as groggily as he.

He moves back softly, not wanting to jostle them too much, only to be met with brown eyes staring at him kindly, Niki’s hand moving from his shoulder where she had shaken him before.

The sun had risen hours before, and it was time for them to finally get up and moving, and to plan things out. Afterall, they didn’t know specifically what Wilbur was planning at the moment, if he was even planning anything at all.

Niki looks at him and his snuggle buddies kindly, not saying a word about it, before informing them breakfast was ready and it was time to strategize.

They all nod in agreement as she smiles brightly and walks away over to Tubbo, who is already seated around the unlit fire with bread and eggs on a cloth for him to eat.

Tommy forces himself to get up, still tired but more well rested than he has been in a long time. He’s thankful to Eret and Fundy for comforting him and not leaving him when it was all said and done.

He smiles at them both when they follow his lead and get up themselves, Eret stretching and yawning loudly, whilst Fundy just stands there looking completely awake already. When they notice the smile, they smile just as warmly back, and he knows the message is received.

Eret fetches his sunglasses from next to his sleeping bag, before they all head over where the other two are, grabbing their own cloths of food before settling down.

Tommy plops down next to Tubbo, who smiles at him softly, leaning into him immediately. What feels like a long time ago, he would’ve made fun of him for it, called him clingy and needy, but really it was only weeks ago. Now, though, he craves the physical reassurance as much as his friend does, and leans back into him without hesitation.

Fundy, Eret, and Niki all gather next to one another, holding their own conversation with gentle smiles and occasionally laughs that fill them all with joy, knowing there’s still things to be happy about.

Tommy and Tubbo don’t say a word to each other, just comfortable to be in one another’s presence, and it still boggles him how much they’ve changed. Before, he couldn’t stand silences, whether they were comfortable or not, he had to always say something, hear _something._ Tubbo didn’t seem to be the same completely, but understood how he felt without him ever having to actually voice it, and always accommodated him whenever possible.

Even now, despite everything that’s changed, Tubbo understands without Tommy telling him that all he needs is the reassurance that someone’s there right now. That his best friend still understands him completely.

The realization makes him smile and lean into his best friend more, picking at his food, the cloth slowly getting damp with grease.

The cloth reminds him of all he’s lost, in a way. He can’t even eat food on a plate anymore, because his home, whether it had been taken over by someone else or not, was gone completely, and he’d be surprised if he could find any dirt left, let alone any silverware.

The rest of the SMP, Dreams portion, is still safe, but everyone there isn’t exactly that welcoming of him and Wilbur, and definitely wouldn’t be happy that Tommy’s got others backing him now.

So, they have to make do with a cloth for food, sleeping bags for beds, and the middle of the spruce woods for shelter.

It was sad and lonely in a way, but as he looks at his friends around him, smiles on their faces, he finds that, in a way, it didn’t bother him as much as it maybe should.

After everyone finishes their meals, they all straighten up around the unlit fire, ready to plan their next steps and what they should do about all the obstacles they currently have in their way.

“First,” Niki starts, voice gentle. She’s looking at him only, and although her gaze is kind and of course holds no hostility, it makes him feel strangely unnerved, like he doesn’t deserve it. “We should decide who our leader should be.”

Everyone nods in agreement, but Tommy balks, looking confused. “But, I thought Eret was our leader?” The man in question looks surprised by his words, which only leads him into feeling further confused.

“Why would you think that?” He asks, but not unkindly, brow furrowing in a genuinely perplexed manner. He gazes at everyone around him, and finds them all looking just as bewildered, so he rushes to explain, stuttering over his words in embarrassment.

“W-well, I just—I thought, since he was the one who gathered us all here, I assumed…” He trails off, rubbing his neck sheepishly, feeling especially unlike himself.

Everyone just stares at him for a moment, and he has never wanted to crawl into a hole and die quite like he wants to now, before they all smile, the air relaxing immediately. Tubbo speaks, and his gaze turns towards him. “Eret did gather us, yeah, but if anyone should be our leader, It’s you.”

A hum of mutual agreement rushes through the trees as all his friends don’t hesitate to believe that themselves, and although the thought makes him happy, that his friends truly do believe such a thing, he can’t help but blurt out, “Wilbur said I would be a bad President, let alone leader.”

There’s a moment of silence, he sees Tubbo stare at him in sad surprise from the corner of his eyes, and he rushes to continue, “So—maybe… I shouldn’t be?” he phrases it like a question, desperately seeking answers from Niki who is the only one who kept his gaze, the others looking away in sorrow at what Wil said to someone who believed in him.

“Tommy,” she finally says, shattering the oppressive silence, voice wavering in an emotion he can’t quite depict, yet kind all the same. “The things Wilbur said to you, were unkind. He’s in a bad headspace, and it’s making him say thing’s that he never would’ve said before, things he doesn’t mean. That doesn’t excuse them, but, please; don’t take the lies he said to you to drag you down with him as truths, because they are anything but. Wilbur always thought you would be a great leader, he was just trying to hurt you.” She frowns, a sadness in her eyes Tommy wishes he could wash away. “The Wilbur you used to know would be ashamed of himself.”

Tommy frowns, wrapping his arms around his legs, allowing the words to wash over him. For once, tears don’t prick his eyes, and he doesn’t feel like the weight of the world is going to collapse onto his chest and shatter every bone he has left.

It just… _hurts,_ knowing Wilbur was trying to hurt him, no matter how many times he’s seen that be proven, with him saying those harsh words to him, all the other things he didn’t hold back on him in the caves of Pogtopia, the words he spit at him only weeks ago as he tried to _kill him._

It just hurts.

He takes another moment, pulling himself together, before straightening up, pushing a cocky smile onto his face that only half of him truly feels. “Well, in that case, I guess I’m leader now, huh?”

And, although he knows they are all aware that his heart isn’t completely in it, they give him fierce smiles in return, supporting him all the way.

“I say cheers to that!” Eret says cheerfully, taking his water bottle and thrusting it into the air.

They all laugh and do the same, bumping the plastic together in messy crunches, laughing at the sound it makes as they pull away. And, Tommy grins, laughing harder than he has in so long, and in that moment, it feels like a part of him has healed, as the air begins to turn bright and hopeful.

“Now that the air is cleared,” Fundy eventually speaks up after several calm moments of gentle laughs, smile still on his face, “I think I have an idea that can help us, but I wanted to run it by you all first.”

Tommy looks up surprised, smile slipping into a more serious manner, but still feeling light all the same. They had an idea to run with; this was good, this was better than nothing.

“What is it?” he asks, head tilted to the side in genuine intrigue, smiling softly when Eret, Niki, and Tubbo nod their heads in a clear gesture to go on.

Fundy seems to sober a bit, pushing himself into a criss-cross position. “I think,” he begins, voice gravely serious, “We need Dream.”

It’s so silent you can hear a pin drop, but Tommy is too preoccupied with flashes of memories of the last moments he saw Dream flittering in his vision, racing by so fast he can barely catch them, but feels them all the same.

_Dream egging Wilbur on as he encourages the older man to give into his desires, **to blow everything up** , to betray Tommy’s trust completely. Dream about to give Wilbur the TNT as Tommy points his bow at Wilbur, tears in his eyes as he attempts to intervene, but is stopped by Dream, whom Wilbur praises for helping him. Dream finally giving him the TNT, and smirking once he walks past Tommy and sees the way he’s shattered as Wilbur starts laughing, aura smug as he holds no regrets._

_Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream, **Dream--**_

“No,” he spits out immediately, too deep into his anger to feel bad for making Tubbo and Eret jump from the pure venom in his voice. “That son of a bitch _gave_ him the TNT he used to _destroy_ Manburg, to destroy L’Manburg! And, and—I could tell he didn’t regret a thing, the selfish prick. He wants Wilbur to break, because he benefits from him doing so.” He seethes, his hatred for the masked man whole and true, burning so deep it clouds his lungs in a smoke he can never blow away. “We don’t need him.”

Everyone stares at him uncertainly, watching as he shakes from rage, all except Fundy, whose looking at him with determination that he hasn’t seen from him in a long time.

“But,” Fundy begins, voice gentle but firm, “We do.”

Tommy frowns deeply, feeling the anger rise, ready to curse him out for thinking at _all_ that they need the green bastard, but Fundy speaks again before he can gather himself enough to do so.

“I know he can be an asshole,” Tommy snorts at his words. _‘Yeah, that’s an understatement.’_ But, Fundy ignores it, continuing like it never happened. “And, I know he can be selfish, but none of you can deny he is _powerful._ He created this SMP, he created this _world._ He is a powerful presence, and if we can convince him to change his mind, or at least join our side, there isn’t much he _couldn’t_ do. Yeah, he follows his own ideals,” Fundy grins sharply, mischief twinkling in his eyes, “But if we can convince him to follow our own…”

The half-fox lets the statement hang in the air, knowing they can all connect the dots on their own.

Eret speaks first, “If we can convince him to follow our own, maybe it’ll also show Wilbur what he’s doing is wrong, because both he, and Dream manipulating him into thinking so, thinks what he’s doing is right, in a messed-up way.” Eret concludes, looking over at Fundy, face impressed with what he put together all on his own.

Fundy nods, looking proud, before speaking directly to Tommy once again, who isn’t meeting any of their eyes. “I know you don’t want to trust him, because of his part in Wilbur’s decline… But, if it’ll help Wil, I think…” He pauses, smiling at him sadly when he finally turns to meet his gaze. “I think it’ll be worth it.”

Tommy stares at him wide eyed, a struggle clearly taking place behind those irises, before he slowly nods, defeat heavy on his shoulders.

“I don’t fucking like it,” He clarifies, blush on his cheeks when he sees the way everyone brightens up at his approval, embarrassed. “But, if it’ll help Wilbur, I’ll do anything, even work with the big green bastard.”

Fundy smiles at him, pride in his eyes for pushing his biases aside just for his family once more, and his blush deepens. “Okay, ill contact him and we’ll see what happens.”

Tommy nods, picking at the grass beneath him to distract himself as Fundy pulls out his phone and shoots off a whisper to Dream, pocketing it immediately after. Tommy feels a hand on his shoulder after several moments of silence, turning his head to meet Tubbos gaze.

“I’m proud of you,” He says with pure emotion, smiling warmly, eyes crinkled kindly. “Before, you wouldn’t of did that, no matter how deep in shit we were.”

Tommy laughs at him cursing, leaning into the touch. “Yeah,” he agrees, smile on his face, watching as everyone else looked at their interaction softly. “One of the few good changes.”

Whatever response he would’ve been graced with was cut off as a ping cut through the air, and their eyes were all drawn to Fundy who looks surprised momentarily, before digging his phone out of his pocket quickly.

There’s a heavy pause as they all hold their breath, not daring to hope this will actually work, but desperately hoping all the same as Fundy’s eyes quickly scans the contents of the message.

A grin spreads over his face, and just like that they relax into themselves, like puppets whose strings have been cut.

He thrusts his phone in the face of the person closest to him in excitement, whom happened to be Eret. Eret looks startled for a moment, before he seemingly reads the message over himself, face brightening up much like Fundy’s.

They both grin at each other dopily, euphoric at the chances they have gotten, fist bumping each other before turning to everyone else.

“He agreed to meeting up,” they say simultaneously, causing everyone else to laugh slightly in the pure adrenaline like shock of it all. “This is it guys!” Eret says excitedly, fist clenched in front of him, face happier than any of them have seen before.

“Our first chance, we aren’t going to be the losers anymore! Let’s make this happen!” Fundy finishes for him, his own excitement painting his own face.

And Tommy, well, Tommy can’t help but feel pure unadulterated hope for the first time in weeks.

This is their chance. If they can convince Dream, they’ve evened the playing field and their chances considerably.

“Okay, fellas,” Tommy hops up to his feet, grinning like an idiot. “We’ve fuckin’ got this!”

They all cheer, before packing up their items to prepare to meet with Dream.

Grey lighting filters into the cave from the entrance, the rest lit up by orange torches aligning the walls.

In the middle of the room stands an old familiar enemy, fiddling around with his crossbow until he catches sight of them, stowing it away for later.

They all take position, Tommy standing in front of the rest of his team, as the leader they had all voted upon. Eret stands slightly behind him, a reassuring presence, palm on his shoulder.

The hope the team had felt earlier was still deep in their hearts, but they pushed it aside in exchange for total seriousness.

This is their chance, they can’t waste it.

There’s silence for a beat, the two parties staring at each other in open uncertainty.

“We need your help.” Tommy finally states, deciding not beating around the bush was the best way to go. He knows Dream already knows the reasoning for this meeting, and wouldn’t like him dragging it out.

“Hm…” Dream hums, stroking the bottom of his mask as if he was truly considering Tommy’s words.

Tommy is glad Eret shifted so he is standing beside him, hand still tightly clasped on his shoulder as a grounding pressure, otherwise Tommy would’ve flown at the masked man and shook the cockiness out of him completely.

“I could help you,” Dream starts after a many minute pause, cocking his hip to the side and placing a gloved hand upon it, masked face staring into what feels like Tommy’s shaken soul, “But, I don’t see what exactly I’d get out of it.”

Tommy bundles his hands into fists at his side, grinding his teeth together in an effort to contain himself at the older man’s words.

 _“Get out of it?"_ He repeats in an almost inaudible seethe, gritting his words through his teeth. He pushes himself out of Erets hold, and ignores the man’s warning, yet concerned, noise as he stalks towards Dream.

The man tilts his head down slightly, in a futile attempt to make it seem like they were eye to eye, were equals; but, Tommy knew the truth. Knew Dream saw himself above everyone else, above _him._

This was all a game to him, and no matter the outcome, he’d consider himself the winner.

But, Tommy was done being a loser. So, no matter how much it kills him, he’ll declare himself the winner, with Dreams help.

Because without it, he knew his chances of succeeding were slim.

Dream speaks up after they both stare at each other, Tommy’s gaze a heartfelt glare and Dreams unreadable and unknowable as always.

“Wilbur destroying Manburg was something I wanted,” he reminds, as if Tommy could ever forget the gleeful sadistic tone he had when he talked to Wilbur about it weeks ago. “And you want me to help _stop_ someone who benefits me in the end. Why would I do that if I get nothing out of it?”

The younger boy stops a few feet in front of him, looking back at his allies for a moment.

Niki, who only ever wanted the best for everyone and was so kind and gentle in everything she did. She genuinely always cared for Wilbur, at every turn, and is still fighting for him now when chances are grim. Not to mention, she cares about _him._ Hugs him when he wakes up from nightmares of a better past, a better lifetime, with Wil, who pinches his cheeks and tells him to go kick ass, who smiles so warmly at him when he ever loses hope. She makes him feel like a light has been shone on him again, like the scornful darkness of Wils betrayal won’t eat him alive and leave him alone forever.

She was like an older sister. She was good, and she deserved better.

Eret, who even at his worst times, even when he betrayed them for a power he truly didn’t need, was so kind and gentle to them whenever they came across him after the war, it was almost like whiplash. He always had such a sorrow on his face when he’d see them all, when he’d lay eyes on Wilbur, and see what his betrayal had truly done to him. For Tommy, he was also a gentle and warm presence, similar to Wilbur, comforting in a way that could never reach Wilburs levels, but was still meaningful to him. He hugged him the most next to Tubbo, always rocking him and murmuring comforting words when the pain of everything that’s changed caught up to him and drowned him in a whirlpool of sorrowful regrets he never felt like he could swim away from, no matter how much he swam and begged and pleaded. He made him feel like the waves would calm one day, and he could finally breathe without fear again.

He was good, and he deserved better.

Fundy, who he truly had wronged the most, and could never understand how he continued to stay so good, no matter how much the darkness inside him wanted to lap over him and take control. He was always by his side, and he felt terrible every moment he used to looked at him and saw the way his ears would go back, a deep etching of hopelessness and confusion on his face, wondering what he did to deserve the treatment he got from people who he had deigned family. He still loved Wilbur, even now, and wanted to save him as much as Tommy, and adamantly proclaims that Wil isn’t beyond saving, not yet. But, despite Tommy’s betrayal to his trust, he hangs out with him every day, lets him lean his head on his shoulder when he’s tired from another night of no sleep, and rubs soothing circles on his back every moment he brushes past him. His smile towards him is always sharp and genuine, and Tommy still wonders how someone as good as him can exist despite everything he went through.

He was good, and he truly deserved better.

Tubbo, his best friend who was by his side through thick and thin, and was also close to Wilbur, almost as close as he himself. They both did everything they could with their former leader, and did the stupidest things just to see Wilbur’s stern façade break and watch him laugh helplessly as they caused the stupidest of havocs. Wilbur looked at him with fond eyes, and Tubbo always gave him the hugest grins. Tubbo has always been good, maybe even naively so, but Tommy always thought that was what made him so special and unique, even if he would never admit it aloud to him. He was always by his side, and even now they’re mostly stuck together like glue. Before, it was Tubbo who initiated every physical affectionate contact they had, like hugs and high fives, but now its Tommy who crawls to him every time he has a nightmare and he doesn’t want to wake the others, passing out in his arms feeling safer than he did before.

He was good, _and he deserved better._

They _all_ deserved better.

They deserved better than sitting in this cave with Tommy whilst he fights with a smartass as the breeze chills their bones, they deserve better than this man undermining what they went through, what _everyone_ went through, because it was _‘convenient to him.’_

They deserved to have things fixed, and fixing them Tommy will.

Like something inside him cracked, he blanks out for a moment before blinking the next and finding himself with his right hand tightly fisted in Dreams green hoodie, the masked man’s back pushed against the cave wall and slightly hanging in the air as he spits harsh words in his face, tears spilling down his cheeks in quick patterns he could barely feel.

“You know what, Dream?! I could give less of a damn about what you want, or what this does for you, you selfish prick!” He snarls, watching his teammates stare at him in wide eyed horror, frozen in place, from the corner of his eye. “I’m doing this for the people who were hurt and wronged, who deserved better than what they got in this SMP over, and over, and _over_ again! I’m doing this for L’manburg, because that was my fucking _home,_ and I miss it, and I miss the people and moments it gave me. And most importantly, I’m doing this for fucking _Wilbur._ Because, no matter how broken he is, no matter how much he’s given up on himself and everyone around him, I will _never_ give up on him, because that’s what you do when you aren’t a self-entitled ass! That’s what you do for someone you _love_ , for your family! Maybe that’s too complicated for you to grasp, because all you’ve ever known is true selfishness, but I’m not like you, **_not anymore!_** ”

He takes a deep breath, listening to the deafening stunned silence around him, feeling Dream’s gaze burning holes into his eyes, uncertain whether its from anger or something different.

He loosens his hold on Dream’s hoodie, allowing his feet to touch the ground again, slightly surprised at the amount of adrenaline-fueled anger he must have had to accomplish that, before continuing in a much softer tone, dried tears staining his face.

“I know this doesn’t do anything for you,” He begins, looking up again at the masked man with pleading eyes. “But this is _Wilbur,_ this is… This is someone who practically _raised me,_ in his own dumb way. I need to save him. And if you helping me save him means giving you every disc in the entire world, I’d give it in a heartbeat. But please,” He begs, eyes brimming with new tears. “ _Please,_ can’t you help me just this once? With no strings attached?”

Dream stands there and stares at him, gaze becoming fiercer, not moving a single inch. He can still see his teammates in his peripheral, all with muted sadness and hope on their own faces.

The masked older man takes a breath, then straightens up, stalking to where Tommy had backed up to.

Tommy lets the man tower over him, gaze burning a hole into his heart, unseen gaze analytical and calculating, before all at once it evaporates like it was never there, and the air’s tension, which he didn’t even notice, clears into a calm.

He tilts his head to the side, before asking matter of fact, no change in his tone from earlier to give away if he was affected. “When do we start?”

The younger boy stares at him in open bewilderment, a look Dream barely acknowledges, walking to the entrance of the cave, looking over his shoulder. “Not anymore, huh? You really have grown up.” Before walking away, presumedly not bothering to wait for them to follow.

Tommy’s mouth gapes as he stares at his friends, everyone’s eyes wide, before they snap out of their stupor and run to catch up with Dream.

They follow the masked man as he walks through the trees with little to no effort, clearly knowing the area like the back of his hand. Tommy would like to say he’s surprised, but in reality, he would’ve been more so if he _didn’t_ know where he was going.

His friends follow behind him, footsteps crunching dried leaves and wilted plants, eyes stern with hesitant hope.

_‘It almost feels too easy. Are they being played? Or is Dream really going to help them?’_

“I know some of what Wilbur is planning,” Dreams voice cuts through the silence like a knife through butter, voice monotone yet confident. Turning his head over his shoulder to look at Tommy, steps not faltering. “He hasn’t stopped yapping to me about it, which gives us an advantage.”

A part of him is angry at how Dream describes Wilburs mental state, and the way it’s making him act, but the other part of him, the larger one, is just so relieved that Dream has any idea at all it almost makes him want to cry.

Dream turns to look forward once again, and speaks through any response anyone could’ve given him. “But, we can’t talk here, we don’t know who could be listening. I got a base we can discuss at.”

“A base?” Fundy questions, sharing a glance with Niki. “Manburg is a pile of ash, and we can’t go back to the regular grounds of the SMP. Tommy still has enemies. And enemies of Tommy’s are enemies of ours. You know that, right?”

The masked man scoffs, likely actually offended by the question, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walks quicker, seemingly looking for something.

“Of course, I know that, doofus. I wasn’t talking about going to the regular grounds.” Dream sighs, stopping in front of a hill with a big wooden house sat on top of it. He gestures towards it, as they all gape at it. “I meant here. I made it for our planning.”

There’s a moment of silence as they stare both at him and the house, before an incredulous voice speaks up.

“You built this house for planning with us?” Tubbo questions, confusion clear in his voice. “Were you going to say yes all along?”

“No,” Dream responds without missing a beat, already making his way up the hill. “I made it just in case I did.”

Tommy follows after him, feeling like he was trapped in a dream himself. This is the oddest thing he’s gone through in a while, and in a strange way it was a nice break from the depression that sought to drag him down each waking moment.

“What do you want in return for your help?” He finally questions as they all stand on the hill, gaze locked with the eyes on the mask in a poor replacement of whatever Dream’s real eyes looked like.

Dream laughs, incredulous, before answering, tone highly amused. “What I want in return? Wasn’t it _you_ who asked me to do this, no strings attached?” He leans against the door, amusement buzzing off him still.

“You’re actually doing it?” Eret questions before Tommy could, voice as bewildered as he would expect it to be. “With absolutely no strings attached? Why?”

“Yes,” Dream answers easily, finally moving from the door and twisting the knob, the door opening smoothly. “And what’s the fun in telling you why?” with that, he slinks inside, leaving them in to be alone in stunned silence, before, for the second time that day, they scramble to catch up with him.

When they walk in, they’re greeted with a room with a big table, multiple chairs, and a dry erase board, with nothing else. A room for strategy, and strategy alone. Tommy’s a bit grateful to sit in a warm house for once, and withers into his chair cheerfully. His friends seem to do the same, and Dream seems to find it highly amusing as he kicks back in his own chair, dirty boots on the table.

“Alright,” Dream begins, apparently leading this meeting. It annoys Tommy slightly, but he knows Dreams a good strategist, so he’s also thankful for it at the same time. “First things first, we have to take JSchlatt _out._ ”

Immediately everyone reacts, the room bustling with noise.

“What?!” Fundy cries, eyes wide. “What’s that have to do with anything? I mean, I don’t like the guy, but still—”

“I’m in,” Eret says easily, shrugging with no problem. Everyone else looks at him incredulously minus Dream and Tommy, but he just shrugs again.

“Wha—We’re supposed to be helping _Wilbur,_ Eret, not planning on taking down Schlatt!” Niki shouts, running her hand through her hair.

“I never said that was put on the back burner,” Eret defends, hands up in a placating gesture. “He’s still top priority, obviously, but Schlatt will be a large obstacle also, so making sure he stays out of our way just makes sense.”

Niki goes to open her mouth, before Dream and Tommy both seem to find less and less amusement over this at the same time, **_“Enough!"_** They say simultaneously, staring at one another incredulously immediately afterward.

Everyone quiets down, and Tommy gestures for Dream to continue, breaking the moment, which Dream seems to get a smug enjoyment out of, much to his increasing displeasure.

“What I meant by it,” He explains slowly, like they’re particularly ignorant worms who couldn’t understand a single word expressed to them. It was completely condescending, and the three who spoke earlier glare at him hotly. “Is that Schlatt was one of Wilbur’s _breaking points._ The progress you are going to make with him will be naught when he realizes that he still, in no way, could be president of L’manburg again if it still has a leader that isn’t him, even if the place is _currently_ a literal hole in the ground.”

The words settle over everyone, and Tommy frowns, looking away.

“So,” Dream continues, dropping his feet to the floor loudly, boots clanking against the tile. He moves forward, folding his hands together in the air and leaning his head upon them. “We take him down, and save Wilbur after.”

“I don’t agree.” Tommy hears himself saying, shocking not only himself, but everyone else in the room, primarily Dream. “Damn—Let me rephrase. Taking Schlatt out _would_ be a good idea, yes, but the part about Wilbur being president again.” He sighs, eyes trained on Dreams mask as he speaks. “Even if he wants to be, which I’m sure he does, he—fucking shouldn’t be. _Last_ time he was President he got betrayed, and had so much pressure on him, and was _exhiled._ If we’re talking fucking _breaking points,_ I think that qualifies as a big one.”

Dream seems to mull this over, gaze boring into him, analyzing him once again. When he speaks, the confusion in his tone shocks everyone. “But, he _wants_ to be President.”

Tommy sighs louder this time, suddenly feeling exhausted. Thinking about how much Wilbur has gone through, and how he didn’t realize before how much it would eventually affect him always hurts. But; to have to put it into words, its even harder, and hurts even more.

“He does _want_ to be,” he confirms, nodding along. He takes a moment to slide his gaze across all his allies at the table, seeing the expressions on their faces. Niki, who looks shaken and unsure. Eret, who looks sad but like he’s beginning to understand. Fundy, who look’s like a mixture of them both, and Tubbo who is staring at him with wide eyes, uncertainty coloring every feature. He wants to make this very clear, for all of them. _“He does want to be, but that doesn’t mean he **should** be.”_ He stresses, gesturing with his hands.

“Any progress we could make will only crumple in on itself when all the pressure that’s been pushed onto him fucking constantly is pushed onto him _again._ And—And I can’t just do that to him. I don’t want to help piece him back together just for my choices to shatter him once again.”

His gaze slides over to the adults in the room, and sees them all staring at him with stunned expressions, minus Dream. He can feel his gaze looking deep into his soul once more, but can’t tell what emotion is lingering on the sidelines.

“Then you.” Dream states, breaking the silence like it was a fragile block of ice, voice confident and true.

“Then… Me?” Tommy repeats, unsure.

“You become President instead.”

Tommy stares at Dream, befuddled beyond his wildest dreams.

_'Him? He wants **Him** to become President?_

Tommy continues to stare, words escaping him completely, noticing his friends are similar, before finally finding the words. “I can’t be.” The words come out rough, and he believes them completely.

His friends reassured him earlier that he would be a good leader, and even then, only a part of him believed them. But to be _President?_ That’s _way_ beyond being a leader of a small group. He has to lead everyone, make every important choice, build the place from the ground up, make deals with devils he wishes he never saw.

Once, his heart would’ve jumped for joy that someone said that, that someone believed that completely.

But, he just wasn’t sure anymore.

“Of course, you can.” Dream states matter of fact, almost sounding angry at his denial. He straightens up, and Tommy can feel the glare that’s now coming from him. “What the hell do you mean, you _can’t?_ If anyone here can, it’s you.”

Tommy gapes at him, opening his mouth to protest, to ask _‘What the fuck? Where is this coming from? I thought you hated me?’,_ but doesn’t get the chance to before Dream speaks again.

“Wilbur broke because he had a certain ideal. He wanted everything done a specific way, and I commend him for that, truly, _but, it isn’t always realistic._ When he realized that, instead of adapting to the change and trying to fix things, he kept dragging everyone down with him, back to the ideals he held so closely. And, as honorable as it may have been, it was foolish all the same.” Dream speaks, calm and clear, as Tommy eternally seethes inside, hating the way he talks about Wilbur like he was some sort of fool.

“But you,” Dream continues, gesturing at him. Everyone turns to look at him, and it makes his eyes widen, overwhelmed. “ _You_ have changed. And for the _better._ You’re strong, and although everyone can bend under pressure, you didn’t crumble like Wilbur. You didn’t let it all go to your head and let it completely change you as a person, make you question who you really are anymore.” Dimly, Tommy feels a part of him disagree with him, knowing that sometimes he does notice he’s changed, but also agrees that, although he gets emotional quicker and has some confidence lost, that doesn’t necessarily mean the change was _bad._

“You are the only good choice as President.” Dream declares, finally leaning back into his seat, posture calm once more. “And when we overtake Schlatt, you’ll be it.”

Everyone’s still staring at him, and he still feels like a deer in headlights, still feels uncertain, but…

“Fine.” He agrees, menacing grin on his face. “Alright, you fuckin’ green bastard, I’ll do it. However, we need to know all you know first before we can go any further.”

Dream folds his arms on the table, a smug aura around him once more, before quickly switching back to strategy mode, and not argument mode. “He’s planning on bombing the rest of the SMP.”

They all stare at him wide eyed, at both the revelation and his calm demeanor about it. Afterall, Dream built a lot of those builds himself, surely, he wouldn’t want to see them fall?

Well, apparently that was the case, considering he seemed fine with Wil’s plan before they convinced him to help them stop him.

Dream will always perplex Tommy, no matter the situation.

“He’s planted bombs underneath the biggest builds, and is going to set them all off from a hiding spot in the woods a couple miles from the sight. He has it so they all go off at once, and the reaction will surely destroy everything in its path. Soon, the whole SMP will be a crater.” He pauses, tilting his head to the side. “Oh, and one of the build’s he planted bombs under was Eret’s castle.”

Eret makes a pained noise in the back of his throat, though he seems to quickly move on from it, knowing it was more important to map this out than to mourn what is not yet lost.

“So, he’s going to blow it up from a place in the woods?” Tommy reaffirms, humming as Dream nods.

He stands up, voice loud and grin confident when he asks, “Where and when? Fellas, I think I’ve got an idea.”

_“Are you sure about this, Tommy?”_ Eret’s worried voice filters into the air through the mic in his ear, slightly staticky but otherwise clear.

Tommy find himself following a winding path through the trees he remembers coming through before, not too long ago. Except, the walk then was strangely easier than the walk now, despite the circumstances.

Back then, he was running through the tree line with Wilbur by his side, having just been exiled from a land he had once helped build. And, although he was running so fast, tears stinging his eyes and sides begging him to give them a break, it was easier.

Because, Wilbur was by his side, a reassuring presence. Telling him this isn’t the end, that they’ll come back stronger. That they have each other.

Sometimes, Tommy wonders if those words were all lies, or if Wilbur really believed it himself once.

Tommy hopes so.

“When am I not sure about anything?” Tommy snarks back, walking at a brisk pace. Thankfully, little to no leaves or plants littered the ground, making his descent down the path lighter and quieter, which is exactly what he needs on his side right now.

 _“Do you really want us to answer that?”_ Dream’s voice pipes up, amusement lingering in his tone.

Tommy scoffs, rolling his eyes. Of course, he had to add his two cents, the bastard.

“It’s true!” He defends, peering around his surroundings. He still has a few minutes before he arrives at his destination, the path long and winding. The trees tower over him, filling the ground with dark speckles, orange and purple hues peeking through from the sunset in the sky.

Its unnerving, but he has to do this. He _will_ do this.

Because, he doesn’t know what he’ll do if he can’t.

“You guys remember what to do, right?” He checks, hand pressed against the communication device to adjust it, hoping it’s hidden well enough.

 _“Yes.”_ Eret answers tiredly, sounding exhausted before it’s even truly begun. Tommy can’t blame him, he knows his plan is risky and a shot in the dark at best, but it was the only plan he could come up with that would give them time to do both the tasks they were presented with.

Save Wilbur, take out Schlatt.

 _“We’re already near the bunker,”_ Fundy informs, voice cheerful. Unlike Eret, he seems to actually believe in this plan completely, which Tommy isn’t too surprised about. Fundy always was a bit of a take a chance kind of guy. _“Schlatt won’t know what hit him!”_

 _“Yeah,”_ Tubbo agrees, voice light, not betraying any specific emotion. _“Tommy, are you sure you’ll be okay on your own? What if he…?”_ _hurts you?_ is left unspoken, but they all feel it hanging in the air between them, Tommy especially.

He takes a deep breath, stopping in the middle of his walk to stare at the grassy floor beneath him.

It’s a possibility, a big one, he knows. Wilbur once would’ve never laid a hand on him, too kind to, knowing it was wrong. And, maybe he still knows that now, deep down. But, the darkness he’s allowed to overtake him tries to justify every little thing he does, and Tommy’s sure that hurting him fits that category too, now.

He might hurt him, but it’s a risk Tommy is willing to take, again and again, if it means he can see Wilbur smile again like he did that day.

_Wil drops his hand on his head, affectionally ruffling his blond curls with a soft look in his eyes, smile fonder than ever. “No matter what happens, whether we win or lose, we have each other and that’s enough. It’ll always be. Because, no matter what, I know I can trust you.”_

_“I know I can trust you.”_

Tommy takes a deep breath once again, this one shakier than the last, pulling himself together. He’ll make it happen, and he’ll teach Wilbur how to trust again, so he can look at him in the future and utter the same words, this time meaning them forever.

“I’ll be okay, Tubbo.” He reassures, continuing to walk, his pace quicker than before. “I have to do this, I’m the only person who’s gotten through to him so far, even if it was just for a few moments.”

Dream makes a questioning noise in his ear, and suddenly he realizes he never told them what happened that day, the look he saw on Wilbur’s face as he uttered those fateful words.

_“You idiot, you idiot, you fucking idiot! I trusted you, I cared about you, I fucking loved you! Do you hear me?! **I loved you!** ”_

Wilbur’s face in that moment seeped emotion, and Tommy knew he got through to him in that moment, uttering words to him he was always afraid of saying, but always meaning deep in his heart.

_I love you._

That was what broke him.

So, maybe, deep down, underneath all the paranoia that’s made him mad, that’s made him convince himself what he’s doing is right, he loved him, too.

He hesitates to speak these words to his friends, despite knowing how important they are. That was one of his lowest moments, and it pains him so deeply in his soul to think about, much less speak it.

 _“I’ll explain to you guys later.”_ Eret chimes into his ear after the silence hung over them for too long, easily picking up on his hesitance.

Tommy forgot Eret was there when he screamed those words at him, having dragged him a way in the middle of him saying them. He can’t even imagine what must’ve been going through Eret’s head when he saw him break for the first time.

He shakes his head, dispelling the thought. There’s no more time to dwell on the past. He has to look towards the future, now.

For his friends, for himself, and for Wilbur.

“Alright.” He stops a bit away from his destination, nerves clinging to his heart so thickly he feels his stomach churn, but he tries to quell it, knowing he can’t let the sick feeling get to him, not now. “Dream, you’re in position, right?”

He gets an affirmative hum, and he nods to himself, relieved. “Good. Because, if I can’t stop him,” He hopes that isn’t the case, with his entire soul, “You’re going to have to make sure he doesn’t set those bombs off.”

There’s a heavy silence in his ear as he swallows, pulling himself together. He doesn’t want Dream to hurt him, no matter what, but he’s going to have to stop him if Tommy can’t. He can’t live with himself knowing he’d stood by and let Wilbur hurt everyone _again._

 _“I will.”_ Dream finally says, sounding resigned himself. It surprises Tommy, but he figures a part of Dream must have a soft spot for Wil, so it makes sense.

“Good. Alright, everyone, are you ready?” He confirms, looking straight ahead. Just a couple dozen more steps, and he’ll see him again. He hasn’t gone this long not seeing Wilbur in months, but at the same time, the thought of seeing him fills him with dread instead of happiness.

Because, he knows when Wilbur meets his eyes, all he’ll see is a scattered manic darkness staring back at him, instead of the caring man he used to know.

 _“We’re ready,”_ Niki confirms, taking a deep breath to steel herself. _“Be careful, Tommy.”_

“I will.” He promises, before moving a step forward. “Alright fellas, let’s fucking do this.”

Tommy isn’t sure what he expected when he finally entered the clearing, a circle of trees surrounding a bare dirt ground.

He isn’t sure what he expected, but he definitely didn’t expect Wilbur standing in the middle, already waiting for him, curled smile on his face.

He already had one foot in the clearing, a stunned expression on his face as he meets Wilbur’s eyes, as dark and tired as before. This time, though, he sees something different in his eyes, a strange hesitance he didn’t see before when he spoke to him. He isn’t sure what to make of it, to make of this entire situation, and it must show on his face, because Wil’s face twists into some form of dark amusement, seemingly find it funny that he’s at a loss for words.

“Surprised?” He asks, smile still playing on his lips. The bags under his eyes are more prominent than before, and it almost makes him look like a completely different person, if the mental decline didn’t already do that before.

“A little,” He admits, finally walking completely into the clearing. He stares at his former mentor, a sadness deep in his heart. Still, a part of him which he thought he buried deep days ago, yearns to hug him again. “I didn’t think you’d be waiting for me.”

Wilbur scoffs, tilting his head to the side. “Please, Tommy, you’ve been my right-hand man for so long. You think I don’t know you by now?” He laughs, and it sounds slightly fond, in a dry kind of way, enough so that it surprised Tommy, making his heart beat a little faster. “I knew you were going to confront me sooner or later.”

Tommy shifts, feeling his features morph into a glare. This man is acting too much like the Wilbur he used to know, and little like the one he saw a week ago, and it’s confusing him. What happened, what changed him?

_It couldn’t have been what he said the last time they met, could it?_

“You say you know me so well,” Tommy seethes, angry at this man for acting like he still cares if he really doesn’t, confused on whether this is all an act or genuine. “So, you waited for me. But, you don’t know me well enough to know I never wanted it to come to this? That I’d have to confront you in the middle of the fucking woods and beg for you to stop doing this?!”

Wilbur’s expression shutters, then shuts down. Tommy feels a part of him break, knowing he’s messing this up by yelling at him, but he can’t help it, he’s so _angry._

That Wilbur would do this to himself, do this to them, do this to _him._

Someone he claims to know so well, yet ignores the parts that wouldn’t be beneficial to his current mindset.

He’s an idiot. An idiot he loves, no matter how much it hurts, but an idiot all the same.

“I’m doing what needs to be done,” Wilbur defends, any traces of the Wil he used to know gone in an instant. “I’m doing what everyone wanted me to do, Tommy.”

“And, what did they want you to do, Wilbur? Huh?” He asks, almost hysterical, as he stalks towards him slightly, hands in the air. “Really, tell me! What did everyone want you to do that was _so_ fucking special, so fucking _important,_ that you had to abandon me, and treat me like fucking shit?! I would love an explanation, because I’m afraid I didn’t get the bloody memo!”

Wilbur stalks towards him in return, eyes dark. They stop a few feet from each other, glaring each other down.

“Come on, Tommy! Stop acting like a big man, will you?” Wilbur hisses, getting into his face. “This act of yours is getting old. I’m not a fool, you’re just like everyone else!”

Tommy shakes his head, not backing down. “No, no, shut the fuck up about that. Answer my damn question!” He barks, a part of him bewildered with himself for yelling at his former mentor, even if he deserves it. He hasn’t done it in so long, not since they first met, to the point where it feels like he’s reverted to his past self, when really, between the two, the one that’s changed is not him. “What was so _fucking important?_ ”

Wilbur pushes him, and he stumbles back a few steps, but remains upright, refusing to let Wilbur push him to the ground like he did before, refusing to fall.

“They wanted me to be the bad guy!” Wilbur yells, voice hysterical edging on manic. It scares Tommy, seeing him continue to break, but he needs an explanation, he needs to completely know _why._ “They wanted to see me break!”

“They wanted you to be bad! So, you know what you’re doing is wrong!” He grabs his shoulder’s shaking him, begging him through his actions to realize, _to realize._

Wilbur grabs his wrists, but doesn’t push him away, or worse, snap the bones. His grip is tight, almost like he’s an anchor grounding him to this moment, to this anger. “No,” He says, voice rough, and it sounds like he’s trying to convince _himself_ more than Tommy. “ _No,_ this is right. What I’m doing is right.”

Tommy stops shaking him, taking in the man before him. His eyes still dark and clouded, like he has given in to every dark desire and ideal and convinced himself that they aren’t as dark as they really are.

And, really, isn’t that exactly what he’s done?

It’s not just that something inside of Wilbur has taken over him and pushed the kind side of himself over a lake of pure lava, its that the kindness convinced itself that it was wrong, and the only way to be right again is to become the madness it always sought to destroy.

Wilbur convinced himself that he’s right, and everyone’s against him, even Tommy.

Tommy can’t help but stand there bewildered, locking gazes with his former mentor. He’s an idiot, _an idiot._

“No,” He finally says, voice firm. “It's not. Wilbur, _you know it's not._ How can you not see it? How could you let all sense slip away?”

Wilbur finally pushes his arms away, backing up, eyes mad with fiery anger, shaking his head as if Tommy’s words will mean less if he does so.

“Shut up,” He seethes, pushing his hands through his beanie covered curls in jagged motions, eyes wild, denying the truth to himself once again. _“Shut up!”_

He can’t admit the truth to himself, because, then it’ll just confirm he really is the monster in this story.

He goes to open his mouth, goes to speak, before the communicator in his ear crackles, startling both him and Wilbur, whose eyes flash when he realizes what’s made the noise.

They stare each other down as Tommy slowly goes to tap the communicator, letting Fundy’s voice pitter over the silent field.

_“Um, Tommy, I think we have a bit of a problem.”_

Tommy cringes at both the words and the way Wilbur’s expression seems to crack even more when he realizes who’s talking. He should’ve known that Fundy’s voice would trigger something inside of Wilbur, but there’s nothing he can do about it now.

Wilbur suddenly looks angry, and Tommy knows he needs to get through this quick before he does something irrational.

“What?” He asks quickly, not tearing his gaze away from Wilbur, who’s own gaze is trained right back onto his own, face growing redder by the minute. “What is it?”

 _“Technoblade,”_ Eret chimes in, Tommy watching as Wilbur looks surprised, eyes unclouding for just a moment. _“He was inside, waiting for us.”_

“What the fuck?” He questions, dread pooling in his stomach. If Techno is against them, they are well and truly fucked. “Did he say anything to you? Is he with Schlatt?”

He hears a bit of a scuffle, which only serves to worry him more, before a familiar voice speaks in his ear, making his eyes widen. _“You wound me, Tommy.”_ Techno’s monotone voice says, voice not at all conveying the emotion he apparently feels. _“Just make sure you bring our brother back to us, you hear?”_

Tommy feels his eyes pool with tears at Wilbur’s stricken expression, watching as he backs a few steps from the weight of the words.

“Of course,” He says thickly, relief flooding him knowing Techno was there to help. “Of course.”

He goes to say something else, before Wilbur cuts him off, voice more manic than it was at any other point in their conversation.

“Get rid of it,” He shouts, gesturing to his earpiece. “Get rid of it, get rid of it, _get rid of it!_ ” He watches in horror as Wilbur breaks down in front of him, eyes wild and hands clapped over his ears like he’s denying himself acceptance of the words.

Tommy scrambles to tear it out, knowing denying him will only set him over the deep end. He hears shouts of protest from the ear piece, likely Eret concerned for his safety, before he tosses it onto the ground in between them.

Immediately, Wilbur stomps on it, again and again, shattering it into a puzzle of pieces.

Wilbur whips his head back up after, startling Tommy as he begins to talk quickly, hand scrambling for something in his pocket.

“Enough, enough! You’re all trying to trick me, trying to stop me! I won’t let it happen!” The sunset turns a sickly orange behind him as he seems to find what he’s looking for, pulling out a button attached to something. It glints in the light of the setting sun, along with Wil’s features that just get more shattered as the seconds pass. “I’m doing what’s right, I’m doing what’s _right._ ”

Dread so cold it sends a chill down Tommy’s spine washes over him, and he realizes with a sudden clarity that _this is it._ Any other chance he fails to take and Wilbur will end up killing them all.

Wilbur continues to talk, but he registers none of it, eyes trained on the device in his hand as he waves it around. And, in a blur, he feels himself race towards Wilbur, watching as his eyes grow wide, before tackling him to the ground, wrestling the button out of his hand.

Wilbur fights him all the way, cursing harsh words at him, struggling for purchase against the device as he flips them over, pushing a hand to Tommy’s chest to keep him still.

The orange hue surrounds everything around them, but all Tommy is presented with is his shadow in his face, the only light he sees is the reflection of light in Wilbur’s eyes.

Wilbur rips the device out of his hand, tossing it a few feet away so he can’t get it, before pinning both his hands to the forest floor, grinning at his victory.

“Come on, Tommy, you didn’t really think that would work, did you?” He asks, the fond lilt he hasn’t heard in so long ringing in his ears.

He hates it, hates hearing it knowing it isn’t said with the love he remembers it being said with, hates that Wilbur is saying it to him now knowing all the man wants is to blow up everything they both ever loved.

Hates knowing, he may never hear it again.

 _“Don’t talk to me with that voice,”_ He chokes out, tears stinging in his eyes as he looks up at him, tearing up at the way he looks confused, like he really doesn’t understand. “Don’t talk to me like you still care about me.”

“Tommy—”

“No!” He yells, shaking his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. “You keep confusing me, one minute you look at me like you want me dead, then the next you laugh at me like you used to, and talk to me in that tone you used only for me when you _gave a shit._ ”

“Tommy…” Wilbur says again, sounding unsure, and through blurry eyes he sees the way Wilbur looks down at him, eyes clearer than before, yet a storm is still raging behind those irises.

He still has a manic edge to him, like he still believes this is all a trick, and that hurts so much more because Tommy doesn’t know what else to _do,_ what else to say to make him see that he means every word he says to him.

He cries harder, feeling oh so broken. The man he loved, someone he considered family, keeps doing this to him, keeps hurting him. He can’t stand seeing cracks of who Wilbur used to be, and getting that hope, just for it to be ripped from him again in the next instance when he reverts back to who he became.

“Did what I say to you that day even matter?” He sobs out, wishing so desperately that he was fighting with someone else, so he could run home to L’manburg and get a hug from his mentor after, to get reassurances that everything is going to be okay.

He wishes so desperately that he wasn’t fighting the same man he so badly wanted to hug again.

“That I loved you? Did it mean anything to you at all?”

He see’s the moment Wilbur realizes, the words clicking in his mind.

_“I fucking loved you! Do you hear me?! **I loved you!** ”_

“I don’t…” Wilbur speaks, soft. Tommy watches as tears form in his own eyes, shock stuttering through him as they plop onto his face, trailing down his cheeks. “Tommy, you couldn’t have meant that.”

Tommy shakes his head, laughing incredulously. Even now, even with tears streaking down his cheeks as he realizes what he said to him was the truth, he denies it.

“I did mean it. I still _do._ ” Tommy stresses, tears spilling down his cheeks once again as he sees his former mentor break above him, his tight grip on his wrists loosening, though he doesn’t try to escape it. “And you know it.”

A sob tears through the air as Wilbur shakes his head, staring into Tommy’s eyes, “I wanted to believe it,” he admits, voice so fragile Tommy’s afraid even the slightest of movements will shatter every piece of him. “But I don’t _deserve it,_ Tommy. _I’ve failed you too much._ ”

Tommy watches stunned as Wilbur releases him, moving back on his knees as he wipes at his face, eyes so bright with emotion it makes him sob, hope rising in his chest.

“Wilbur, you _always_ deserved it,” he says, voice almost pleading as he kneels before him, hands hovering, unsure of whether to touch. “You were always my guide, you helped me become the person I am now. Fuck; you made me less of an asshole.”

Wilbur laughs, and it’s so sweet to his ears that his lip trembles, heart disbelieving that he ever could get the pleasure of getting to hear it again.

He look’s up at Tommy then, a sadness and darkness still deep in his eyes, but brighter than he’s seen them in a long time, even when he was still saner than before. “Tommy,” He says, the word rolling off his tongue so lovingly, tears slipping out of his eyes so quickly it looks like it came out of a cartoon. “I’m so sorry.”

Tommy watches in disbelief as Wilbur absolutely shatters in front of him, gut wrenching sobs breaking through the air as he weeps into his fisted hands against his eyes, whimpers and whines escaping him as he lets all the pain the world has ever given him out into the air.

Tommy pulls his hands away from his eyes, trying to catch his bloodshot gaze. “For what?”

Wilbur snorts almost painfully, looking at him in bewilderment. “ _For what?_ Fuck, Tommy, for everything.” He sobs some more, but keeps his gaze, eyes shameful and scared. “Tommy, I know everything I’m doing is wrong, but I thought that if I did it, because everyone wanted me to, that would somehow make it _right._ Tommy…” He trails off, eyes shuttering between emotions, before settling on fear. “Tommy, I’m so scared of what I’ve become.”

Tommy can’t stand to watch as Wilbur seems to curl into himself more, tears soaking his fingerless gloves as he buries his face into them once more.

He shuffles closer, before gathering him close, soaking his own tears into his shoulder as he listens to his former mentor shake and shutter, sobs cutting through the air so loudly it startles away some birds that quickly flap away.

“It’s okay,” He soothes, rubbing circles on his back, still in disbelief that it’s come to this, that there’s _hope._ “I won’t let you suffer alone anymore, okay? I’ll get you help. You’re gonna get better.”

Wilbur finally wraps his arms around him, movement shaky and jerky. But, when they finally settle around his waist, its like something inside him snapped and he hugs him with all his might, burying his face in his hair as he continues to cry.

“I don’t deserve it,” He whispers, repeating himself. “Tommy, I hurt you and everyone else so badly, _I don’t deserve it._ ”

Tommy shakes his head against his shoulder, denying the words as he squeezes him tight. “Everyone deserves help, Wilbur.” He says, as softly as possible, shushing him when he sobs once again. “You’ve already made up for hurting me.”

This seems to make Wilbur pause as he pulls back a bit to face him, face incredulous as a few tears drop onto his quickly drying face.

The _‘How? How could I have possibly made it up to you?’_ Is unspoken, but both are acutely aware of it.

And Tommy laughs, still in shock, as he answers what hasn’t been voiced.

“Because you came back to me.”

Wilbur shakes his head, a hesitant smile on his face, as he seems to accept the words.

“Okay,” He whispers, voice gravely from the crying. “Okay.”

The moment is minutely broken by the sound of loud footsteps racing towards them, and they both look up at the same time to see Techno and Dream, both seeming out of breath and worried.

“Tommy, you’re…” Dream starts, shock buzzing off him as he sees Wilbur collapsed in his arms, face drenched in tears. And, Tommy knows he doesn’t look much better. “Okay?”

“After communications were cut, we came to check on you, but,” Techno begins, smiling behind his pig mask. “I see everything’s fine.”

Wilbur pulls away from Tommy slightly, gesturing to the spot where the button to blow the bombs is still sitting, untouched.

“Take it,” He practically begs, shame in his eyes. He can’t meet any of their gazes, and he looks so, so tired. “Please.”

Dream nods jerkily, walking in strides to pick up the device, examining it for a moment, before crushing it in his hand, letting the pieces fall to the floor.

Wilbur seems relieved to have it gone, like a weight has been lifted from him.

“I’m sorry,” He whispers, finally looking at both Dream and Techno. “Fuck, _I’m so sorry._ ”

He looks like he’s going to cry again, and the two before them look awkward in light of that, but nod in unison in acceptance of his words.

“It’s okay,” Dream reassures, voice slightly guilty in a way that surprises Tommy, having not expected it. “We’ll get you help.”

This seems to relax Wilbur, and he withers in Tommy’s arms, eyes slipping shut and seeming to pass out immediately after.

Tommy stares at him in wide eyes, and he’s sure the others are looking at him similarly.

Tommy smiles, so gently he almost can’t believe it, squeezing the man sleeping on him just to make sure he’s real, that this moment is real.

Wilbur stirs slightly in his arms, eyes shut gently, face clear for the first time in weeks, a soft smile on his face.

_They really did it._

There was still much to do, like fixing L’Manburg, and helping Wilbur get his mental state in order…

But, they did it, and right now, that’s all that matters.

Tommy’s lungs heave as he carries Wilbur on his back, the older man still passed out and snoring against his shoulder. Despite his entire body screaming in protest, knowing he’s pushing his physical limits to the max, he smiles hearing it.

Everything’s okay.

They stop in the middle of the regular grounds of the SMP, Techno and Dream still by his side, both looking worried when he staggers a little, not being able to handle the weight for much longer.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to carry him?” Techno asks, concerned, hands hovering in the air next to him, unsure.

Tommy shakes his head, huffing a laugh even though it hurts. “No, It’s fine, really.” It hurts, but he needs it, he needs to feel Wilbur’s presence. He needs to make sure this is all real, that this isn’t just a dream tricking him once again.

He shoots his blurry eyes up when he hears footsteps rushing towards them, sighing in relief when Eret, Tubbo, Fundy, and Niki enter his line of sight.

They all seem happy to see him okay, before collectively their gazes seem to land on Wilbur, eyes shooting wide in shock.

“You did it,” Tubbo says, the most genuine joy he’s heard from him in weeks, and it feels like a hole in his heart has been healed over at the sound of it. “You really did it!”

Tommy nods shakily, opening his mouth to confirm that yeah, he did, before his legs decide in that moment they’re going to give up on him and he collapses in a heap to his knees, thankfully not jostling Wilbur awake.

Immediately both Eret and Techno drop to their knees before him, one gathering Wilbur in his arms despite Tommy’s tired but indignant protests, and the other pushing his bangs back to look him in the eyes, looking concerned.

“You pushed yourself too much, you’ll make yourself sick.” He tuts, scratching his head affectionally despite his obvious worry.

Tommy laughs breathily, smile uncertain but true, leaning his head against his chest tiredly.

“Eret, this is real, right?” He asks, voice thick, tears stinging his eyes. Everyone seems to go quiet around him, eyes he can’t see trained on him. “Please tell me this is real, _please,_ I can’t wake up from a dream like this again only to find out it was all false hope.”

Eret hugs him tightly, as he lets a few tears spring his eyes and fall, wiping them away quickly. “This is real,” He confirms, voice hard and steady, grounding. “ _Tommy, this is real._ You did it, you got through to him.”

He sobs, clutching him desperately. “Good,” He chokes, vision quickly turning black, the days exhaustion catching up with him. _“Good.”_ He utters out one more time, before blissfully falling into the darkness in Erets arms much like Wilbur did with him before.

When he awoke inside Eret’s castle, what he wasn’t aware of while he was talking down Wilbur, Fundy had filled in for him as Eret sat on the other side of the bed.

Schlatt was taken out of power by his friends, Eret deciding to do something similar to what he did before in the Disc war.

They would duel, and who ever killed the other first was declared the winner.

If Eret won, Schlatt stepped down from power and let Tommy become President.

If Schlatt won, they would all be taken prisoner and publicly executed in front of the entire SMP.

Thankfully, Eret did win, but when Tommy heard the big risk he took he both was proud of him and wanted to sock him upside the head for doing something so stupid. In the end, he just hugged him, glad Eret was better at dueling than he gave him credit for.

After Wilbur woke up, they made sure to get him the help he needed in the form of a therapist from a far-off land.

At first, it didn’t seem like it was doing much, Wilbur’s face sometimes looking so dark Tommy wondered if he would give into himself again.

Slowly but surely, though, Wilbur started to brighten up, like the weight on his shoulders wasn’t as heavy to bear, smiling more genuinely and acting more and more like the Wilbur everyone used to know.

They knew he would never be completely the same, that he’ll likely always have trust issues and some form of paranoia, but as long as Wilbur’s eyes stayed bright, as long as he continued smiling, Tommy knew everything would be okay.

After that, they all went to work on L’Manburg, with Tommy refusing to be President of a land that literally just didn’t exist anymore. It took them many days and nights of blood, sweat, and tears, but they managed to get it done in a couple months. It will never be the L’Manburg they used to know, but Tommy likes to think of it as a new era, a better era.

The land was expanded, Dream allowing them that much now that they were on good terms. Tommy found he liked the guy more now, since he seemed to tone down his attitude around him. Techno insists it’s because everyone around him becomes fond of him eventually, even Dream, but Dream denied this vehemently, blush staining his ears.

They added many more buildings, but made sure that nature was the first priority. Flowers were planted everywhere, and tall oaks and spruce trees grew so high it amazed him. There were rivers and streams, and so many bees Tubbo was constantly overjoyed.

The walls stood high, and the flag was remade and presented with care, flapping beautifully in the wind like it once did long ago.

**_Several Weeks Later . . ._ **

Wilbur sat outside Eret’s castle in a bench he had made just for him, staring at the clouds in the sky as they slowly drifted by.

Tommy was getting officially elected into office today. And, although he wasn’t there to see it, since he wasn’t sure what it would do to his slowly healing psyche, he was proud of him all the same.

He frowns, looking down at his hands, remembering all the hurtful words he said to Tommy when the darkness inside of him started taking over, when he _let_ it take over. He was such a fool, thinking that saying those things were okay, that they were the truth. They were all lies, all horrible lies he said to drag Tommy into his misery with him.

Tears prick his eyes, shame washing over him. He doesn’t understand how Tommy could’ve ever forgiven him, how he can so easily look him in the eyes and tell him he loves him despite everything he’s done.

He still remembers the first time Tommy told him, when tears were cascading down his cheeks as Eret had to drag him away from _him,_ from someone he _trusted,_ someone trying to _hurt him._ Instead of telling Wilbur to go fuck himself like he entirely deserved, he told him that he loved him, betrayal in his eyes as he did so.

Honestly, any insult Tommy could’ve gave him would’ve hurt a lot less than the absolute betrayal he saw in his eyes that day.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out, dispelling the thoughts from his mind. Its easy to go back and beat himself up about every action he took, every stupid thing he told himself was right. But, it was hard to sit back and forgive himself for it, knowing he was trying to change himself for the better, completely this time.

His therapist said that was one of the biggest leaps he had to take, and slowly but surely, he thinks he may be getting there.

Wilbur looks towards L’Manburg, it being barely in his sights. If he focuses hard enough, he can clearly hear cheers erupting from where Tommy’s officially finally going into office.

He smiles, a genuine gentle one, as he remembers how Tommy had paced around his room earlier, worried eyes shifting to every object in the room.

_“I’m so fucking nervous,” He had said, fussing with his hair in nervous strokes. “Fuck, why am I so nervous?” He had spun around to face Wil, who was sitting on his bed staring at him with fond eyes. He still felt bad whenever he looked at him like that, because he would hesitate whenever he saw the look, like he couldn’t believe it was real._

_“Tommy, you’re going to be fine.” He had soothed, a grin on his face as Tommy huffed, sitting next to him so harshly he slightly jumped off the bed. “You’re going to be the greatest President they ever had.”_

_And he had meant it, no matter the words he said before, he knew deep in his heart that Tommy was better than him in every way, that under his loving eye L’Manburg would be okay._

_Tommy had looked at him, wide eyed, before a smile broke out over his face, blush tainting his cheeks at the reassurance._

_“You mean that?” He asked, almost shyly, smile softer than he had seen it in a while. It’s like he said the one thing Tommy had wanted to hear, and it struck him all at once that that likely really **was** the case._

_Guilt pricked at his heart, but he shoved it to the side, knowing now’s not the time for self-pity and regret._

_He had thrown an arm around his shoulders, the other hand ruffling his unruly blond hair affectionately as Tommy laughed, pushing his hand away halfheartedly._

_“I’ve never meant anything more.”_

He’s snapped out of his playback of earlier events by the sound of a familiar voice calling his name, and he looks up to find Tommy and Tubbo racing towards him, Fundy, Eret, Niki, and Techno not far behind.

He stood up, a smile on his face, ready to speak before he was tackled to the ground by the two boys, laughing as they squeezed him tightly in a hug, heart soaring.

He never thought he would get to be this happy again, he almost can’t believe it. He thought he’d lose these two forever, lose _all of them._

Wilbur squeezes them back just as tightly for several moments, quelling the thoughts, before pulling back, letting them help him up. They both had giant grins on their face, Tommy’s more excited than Tubbo’s but both soft all the same.

They look at him with such soft, loving eyes. He’ll never understand.

“I did it, Wilbur!” Tommy bursts out all at once, seeming to vibrate in place, he does a little hop around him smile so large it _has_ to hurt. “I’m President now!”

Wilbur thought him saying that would hurt, would remind him of what he’s lost, but instead, as he sees the happiness in Tommy’s eyes, the way he always tries to be as close to him as possible whenever he can, as if to confirm he’s real, that this is all real…

It brings him so much joy it swells up his entire being, making his face light up with a joy he hasn’t felt in so long it’s like it all bursts as he places both his hands-on Tommy’s cheeks, grinning wide as he says,

_“I’m so proud of you, I love you so much.”_

Tommy’s eyes widen comically, everyone else’s smiles morphing into their own looks of shock as Wilbur finally voices the words he’s wanted to tell Tommy for so long himself, but was ashamed to after everything he’s done.

But, he deserves to hear them, to know Wilbur believes them.

Tommy stares at him for another long moment, before tears gather in his eyes, smiling wobbly up at him. “You said it. _You mean it?"_

He pays little attention to the others as they give them space to have their moment, telling them to meet up with them in L’Manburg when they were done, before walking down the path.

All he can pay attention to is the utter happiness in Tommy’s eyes, swiping away a tear that trails down his face.

He leans down and kisses his forehead, the paternal instinct he used to always feel around Tommy flooding over him once again all at once. This is his _boy._ And, he almost allowed himself to completely ruin everything between them.

Never again.

“Of course, I do.” He reassures, mumbling it against his forehead.

When he pulls back, Tommy just looks even more emotional, though he looks happier than he’s ever seen him. He seems to fight himself over something for a moment, before flinging himself at him, hugging him so tightly it hurts.

He doesn’t hesitate to hug back, though, leaning his head on his own and squeezing him back just as tightly.

They stay like that for several moments, Wilbur politely pretending like Tommy isn’t silently crying on his shoulder and soaking his coat, before Tommy finally speaks. “I love you, too. I never thought it’d get to hear you say it,” He confesses, voice small. “I never thought it’d get to hug you again, either.”

Wilbur feels his own tears rush into his eyes, and he blinks them back quickly, feeling his own remorse at the way things had gone, at how bad he let things get.

“I’m sorry,” He whispers into his hair, voice thick. “I’ll tell you it a thousand times over, _hug you_ a thousand times over so you’ll never live in doubt of it again.”

Tommy nods shakily against his shoulder, squeezing him tightly again for a moment, but doesn’t say anything.

After a moment, he pulls away, wiping the tears from his face. He eyes his tear drenched shoulder, and cringes slightly, but doesn’t say anything, which makes Wilbur smile fondly.

Some things never change.

“Okay,” Tommy says, seeming to pull himself together, eyes bright in the sunlight. He looks up at Wilbur, confidence in his gaze as he asks, “Are you ready to go back to L’Manburg?”

Wilbur stares at him, see’s the way he owns his own confidence so Wilbur will feel a bit of his own, and he can’t help but laugh slightly, not for the first time wondering how he was so lucky to find a kid like him, to find someone who loved him so deeply they’d fight against every inner demon they see just to see him smile again.

He nods, though. Even if a part of him is always afraid, is scared that something will push him over the edge again and all the progress he made would be for naught, he knows with Tommy by his side he has nothing to fear anymore, because he isn’t alone.

He trusts him, with his whole heart, and he won’t ever let himself lose sight of that trust again.

“I’m ready,” He confirms, taking a shuddering breath, a soft smile quirking his lips as he sees the way Tommy brightens up at the thought of finally showing him the new L’Manburg. “But, Tommy?”

Tommy, who was moving to guide him back to their old home, stops in his tracks, quirking an eyebrow at him in confusion.

“Thank you,” He says, putting a hand over his heart, voice soft. “For everything.”

Tommy smiles back at him, moving to stand before him.

“You’re my big brother,” He says, sounding shy as he admits it. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

He barely gives Wilbur time to process that as he grabs his hand, dragging him in the direction of L’Manburg.

“Now, no more sappy moments! Everyone is waiting for us! Go, Go!”

Wilbur can only laugh as he’s dragged along, wondering how the darkness ever took him over with someone so bright standing by his side.

Tommy smiles as he looks back at Wilbur, seeing the way his eyes crinkle with mirth, a happy grin on his face as he continues to drag him along quickly.

He said he would do anything to bring that smile back.

And, as Wilbur meets his eyes, smile becoming fonder and more affectionate, his heart soars knowing he actually succeeded.

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, the end of this monster fic of angst LOL.  
> I had to give them a happy ending, the idea I had for the sad one was so hardcore I just couldn't do it. :(  
> But yeah, fluffy endings all around!  
> Also, it wasn't stated, but Tubbo is definitely vice president. :')  
> Please, I'd really love if you left a comment! This took me so long, I'd really appreciate it!


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